Grand Adventure
by Belle Martel
Summary: We're back in season three. Josh has run off with a Doctors Without Borders colleague, meaning that Kate's 'back on the market'. The only problem? She's 3 months pregnant. If that's not enough, a budding relationship with Rick and a case with a lot of dead ends are sure to keep Kate busy. - "A Grand Adventure is about to begin." Winnie the Pooh
1. Chapter 1

Summary: We're back in season three. Josh runs off with a Doctors Without Borders colleague, meaning that Kate's 'back on the market'. The only problem? She's 3 months pregnant, and Josh doesn't give a flying fuck. Rick however takes the risk of pursuing a relationship with Kate. We are now 1½ months later, and we find Rick and Kate at the cinema, on their fourth date.

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine, neither are their backstories. I'm just playing around with them.

Author's Notice: This will be an M-rated story. What else would you expect from me?  
x Belle.

**Grand Adventure**

**Chapter 1**

_A Grand Adventure is about to begin. ~ Winnie the Pooh_

On screen, Amy Adams kissed Patrick Dempsey, and with that, the credits started rolling. Kate was already putting on her coat and getting her bag. She was tired, and all she wanted was to get home and crash on the couch or in bed. And a foot rub. She'd give anything for a foot rub right now. Any type of massage, really.

The lights went back on, and people started making their way back into the lobby.

"Shall we?" Rick asked as he held out his arm for Kate to slip hers through. She nodded, and they made their way outside.

"So I was thinking, we could go get something to eat..." he began.

"Castle, I'd love to, but I'm exhausted and my feet hurt. I'm sorry."

"Don't be! We'll go to the car, no problem." He laid his hand on the small of her back and led her to the parking garage. They got into Castle's SUV and he drove them to Kate's apartment. As they pulled up, she asked: "Do you want to come up for coffee?"

"Sure, but aren't you too tired?"

"Not too tired for a hot drink before bed." Kate smiled.

"Sure then. I'll find somewhere to park the car."

Together they entered the apartment. Kate immediately kicked off her flats and went into the kitchen. Rick followed her, and gently nudged her back into the living room.

"I'll take care of it. You get comfortable."

Kate was too tired to protest, so she sat down on the couch in defeat. Rick covered her with a blanket, then went to make their drinks. He returned moments later with two mugs of strawberry tea, with sweetener for Kate.

"No coffee for you?" a halfway asleep Kate asked as she accepted the drink from him.

"Nah, it's late." Rick sat down on the other end and set the TV to TLC.

After a while he saw that Kate's eyelids were drooping, and that her grip of the mug was decreasing.

"Let's get you to bed."

"I'm too tired. I'll sleep here. Do it all the time," Kate mumbled.

"No you won't."

And before she knew it, Kate was being lifted by Rick, bridal style. She locked her arms around his neck, and buried her face in his chest. She was too tired to care that this was Richard Castle's chest she was snuggled up against. This was more affectionate than Kate usually was, but hey, Rick would be the last person on earth complaining.

He gently laid her down on the queen-sized bed.

"Thanks."

"No problem. Good night, Kate."

"Stay." What? Had he heard that correctly?

"Stay, please." His brain was smiling a 1000-Watt smile.

"Alright. Let me text Alexis and Mother that I'll be home tomorrow."

Rick stepped into the living room, and sent a quick text to his daughter. When he got back to Kate she had changed into an oversized dark blue shirt. Rick took off his shoes, socks and pants, shrugged out of his shirt but kept his undershirt on, and got in on the other side.

"Good night Kate."

"Night, Castle."

Morning came, and tiny particles of sunlight sneaked through the opening in the curtains, touching the faces of the man and woman in the bed. A prothonotary warbler landed on the windowsill, and cautiously watched them. He decided that they were not a threat, and opened his throat to welcome the sun with a happy melody.

Rick groaned at the high-pitched sounds. He tried to sit up, but a very asleep Katherine Beckett was sprawled over his chest. He realized that the sounds weren't coming from his alarm, but from a tiny yellow bird. The sight of the little one singing its heart out was enough to elicit a smile.

Kate stirred, and her eyes fluttered open. Hazel eyes stared up at blue ones, and both smiled.

"Hey Castle."

"Good morning. How are you feeling?" Kate stretched and rolled off of Rick.

"Much better than last night. Thank you for staying."

"No, thank you for having me. You can take a shower if you want, then I'll make breakfast." She nodded, and went into the bathroom. Rick ran hand through his hair and went into the kitchen, rummaging the cabinets for waffle ingredients.

Kate stripped, and stepped under the warm stream of water. She immediately felt her muscles relax, and groaned. Reaching for her favorite magnolia-scented body wash she squirted a luscious amount into the palm of her hand and lathered up, paying extra attention to her belly. She was showing, and she hated it. So far, Lanie and her dad were then only ones who knew what was going on, and she wanted to keep it that way more than anything. She knew that she was going to have to tell Castle sometime soon, but that was one thing she was not looking forward to at all.

_To be continued…_


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: The characters are not mine, neither are their backstories. I'm just playing around with them.

**Grand Adventure**

**Chapter 2**

_A Grand Adventure is about to begin. ~ Winnie the Pooh_

The air was still cool and damp when Kate Beckett pulled up in her Crown Victoria. At the same time, Rick came walking around the corner, coffee cups in hands.

"Good morning Beckett. Here you go."

"Thanks Castle." Kate accepted the cup and immediately faked tripping over a loose tile in the sidewalk, spilling the contents of the cup.

"Shit! Oh well, I'll get a drink at the precinct," she said, pulling a bottle of water out of her coat pocket and taking a sip.

Together they ducked under the police line and made their way to Lanie, who was crouched next to the body of a blonde woman.

"Hey Lanie. What have we got here?"

Lanie pointed at the woman's neck and chest and commented: "She was stabbed, and someone slit her throat. Surprisingly, the oozing puddle of blood you'd expect is nowhere to be found."

"Do we have a time of death?"

"Liver temperature indicates last night, between 11 PM and 1 AM."

"Hey Beckett, Castle. We got a name." Kate looked up, and saw Esposito pointing at Ryan, who was waving a purple wallet. She walked over to him.

"Who is she?"

"Valerie Alexandra Thorne, age thirty-three. Unmarried."

"Let's get back to the precinct, Castle, and try to contact next of kin. Ryan, Esposito, you go to her home address, see what you can find, talk to neighbors."

"On it."

The two junior detectives exited the crime scene.

"We'll let the uniforms finish searching the area. Come on Castle, let's go. Bye Lanie."

"Bye girl. I'll let you know if anything comes up."

"Thanks." Kate and Rick went back to Kate's car, where a young officer was busy writing out a ticket.

"What the…what do you think you're doing, officer?"

"This street has been closed off. You shouldn't have parked here, lady."

Kate pulled out her badge and ID.

"Make that Detective Lady. Now move it, you're holding me up."

The young man looked like he wanted to disappear into the sidewalk cracks.

"Yes ma'am." He quickly retreated in shame.

When they got to the twelfth, Kate searched for Valerie Thorne's data in the system, while Rick walked towards the break room.

"Coffee?"

"Tea please."

"Oh, you're still doing the whole quitting-caffeine thing? How hipster of you, Beckett," Rick remarked.

"FYI, it's really given me a lot more energy," Kate said, averting her gaze to the computer.

"Found her. Parents are dead, only living family is her sister. Samantha Thorne. I'll call her, ask her to come to the precinct."

One hour later, Rick was sitting in his chair whilst Kate was talking to and consoling the sister. He could see Samantha was crying. It had to be hard, losing your only living relative, your only sister, so unexpectedly. He sighed, and pulled out his phone, opening Flappy Bird. By the time he had increased his high score from 11 to 12, Kate was back at her desk, and Samantha was on her way out of the twelfth.

"Learned anything new, anything interesting?" Kate nodded.

"Valerie gas an ex-husband, and a six-year-old son, Alex Jason. The ex's name is Storm Lovett, they were fighting for the custody of the kid."

"What kind of name is Storm?" Rick asked.

"A name for a suspect, with a nice motive as well. Let's go."

The front door swung open, and a tall, big, muscular man with dark, thick-rimmed glasses growled: "Whaddaya want?" Kate didn't even blink.

"Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD. When was the last time you saw Valerie Thorne?"

"Last week, why? The bitch fuck me over again?"

"She's dead," Rick said, "not much fucking over she can do anymore."

"She's what now?"

Kate stepped forward.

"May we come in?" The man suddenly resembled a small, shaken child, miles away from the hostile beast he seemed mere seconds ago.

"Yes, of course."

The inside of the apartment revealed to be neatly kept, with decorations modestly spread, making it look like one of those model homes you'd find in an IKEA-catalogue. Storm explained how Valerie had dumped him, telling him he was too dull for her. She had disappeared out of his and Alex Jason's life and had come back only recently, only to hand him the signed divorce papers and to tell him that she was going to go all out to take AJ from him. He had been devastated, he loved that boy more than anything. By the time he had gotten to telling Rick and Kate this, tears were streaming down his face. Rick had to swallow back a lump in his throat as well. He felt for the poor man, doing everything he could to keep his son in his life. He'd do the same thing for Alexis.

On their way back, Rick remarked: "He's not it." Kate nodded in agreement.

"We're not anything closer to knowing who killed Valerie though," she sighed.

After a few moments of silence, Rick asked: "Would you like to come to dinner tonight? Mother has been begging me to invite you over, saying it's been too long. And of course, Alexis and I'd really appreciate your company as well."

"I'd love to."

Hours later the workday was nearing its end, and Ryan and Esposito had returned as empty-handed as Kate and Rick had.

"Ready to go?" Rick asked, coat in hand.

"You can go on home, I still need to file some reports from last week. At what time shall I come over?" Kate asked.

"Seven?" he suggested.

"Sure. I'll see you tonight then, Castle."

"Until tonight, detective."

The moment the elevator doors closed, Kate got up and knocked at the captain's door.

"Come in. Ah, Beckett, what can I do for you?"

Kate sat down.

"Sir, there's something you should know." She shifted in her seat.

"What is it?"

"I'm…pregnant."

_To be continued…_


End file.
